GString Man
by susanatc
Summary: This is a follow up to Goldpiece's "Alphabet Soup - chapter 7." Booth is undercover and Brennan is having keeping her distance.
1. Chapter 1

_Before we go any further into this, let me remind you kind folks that these characters belong to Fox and Hart Hanson and other more important people than myself._

_Having said that, I am also not taking credit for the idea behind this story. I was reading Goldpiece's "Alphabet Soup" chapter 7 titled "Gyrating" when I was struck with inspiration. With her permission (and a wonderful beta job also), I've picked up from the end of her story for this one. If you haven't read that particular story, I strongly recommend you go do that before you start this one or you might be a little lost. After you've read her story, be sure to leave her a nice review and tell her thank you for allowing me the privilege of running with the idea._

_Okay, enough of my rambling...on with the story._

* * *

Brennan sighed as she glanced at her bedside clock. It was after three a.m. and she was still restless. Angela had dropped her off at her apartment shortly after midnight after their night out, but in spite of the alcohol she had consumed, sleep still eluded her.

She rolled to her back and closed her eyes, allowing her mind to replay the events of the evening once again. Angela had insisted that she go out with her tonight, not bothering to tell her where they were going. By the time Brennan had realized they were at a male strip club, it was too late to back out. Besides, Angela had been right when she'd accused her of moping around while Booth was on an undisclosed undercover assignment. It was time to loosen up and enjoy herself. If for no other reason than to prove to herself that she remembered how to have a social life that didn't involve Seeley Booth.

Once she'd made the decision to relax, she found herself intrigued by her surroundings. She made a comment to Angela about the anthropological observations to be made, but her attention had quickly been diverted to the men on stage. As if drawn by a magnet, her gaze had settled on one of the dancers in the back row. She was acutely aware that he was very well structured, but there was something else that kept her gaze trained on him, a familiarity that she couldn't quite pinpoint. Angela had distracted her for a moment, pointing out one of the other dancers, but her eyes quickly returned to the dark-haired man with the amazing chest. And then she'd gotten a good look at that amazing chest and things had taken a rather surreal turn from there.

As she replayed the scene in her mind, her lips still tingled from where he had kissed her. Her fingers itched to touch him again...to take the same erotic trail along his hard body, to slip inside the somewhat ridiculous, yet incredibly sexy, black thong he'd been wearing, to feel his muscles clench as her hands glided back up his chest. With her eyes closed, she imagined that she could still feel him pressed against her ass, his hands blazing fire as they trailed along her sides, just barely caressing the sides of her breasts through her blouse.

When a soft groan escaped her lips, she forced her thoughts away from her sexy partner and sat up in the bed. She knew why she was so restless...she was still incredibly aroused. Those few stolen moments on that stage had opened a floodgate that she had no idea how to close. Before his undercover assignment, they had been steadily moving towards something more in their relationship. Not that either one of them had tried to define what that "more" was, they had just both seemed to be on the same page.

Now it had been almost three months without any contact from him and she was honest enough, at least with herself, to admit that she truly missed him. Yes, she missed the field work, and the opportunity to get out of the lab on a regular basis, but it was more than just the work that she missed. It was the friendship.

With another sigh, she reached for her laptop and pulled it onto the bed. If she wasn't going to sleep, she might as well be productive and work on her latest novel. It was almost finished anyway, and she was easily six months ahead of her deadline. As she powered up her computer, she briefly wondered if her publisher had arranged for Booth's undercover assignment for the express purpose of motivating her to spend more time writing. The thought was ridiculous she knew, but so was the thought of buying the night club she'd been at earlier for the express purpose of getting Booth back in her life, and she had spent a good thirty minutes contemplating the pros and cons of that one.

She opened the word processor and began typing, briefly considering having Andy seduce Kathy wearing a black thong and doing a striptease. She discarded the idea quickly, knowing that writing that scene would do nothing to appease her own frustration at the moment. Instead she delved back into the plot of the story, fleshing out the final twist that would bring the killer to justice and hoping that Booth would have as much luck on his case as Kathy and Andy were in her book.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Booth leaned his head against the shower wall and let the hot water soothe the tension in his shoulders. Of all of the nightclubs in D.C., Angela would have to pick the one he was working in to drag Bones to. He closed his eyes as he replayed the scene in his head. They had been standing backstage preparing for their performance when one of the guys had pointed out the two "really hot chicks" sitting at a front table. It was a nightly ritual they went through, deciding which woman to pull up on the stage and which dancer would go solo with her. He usually paid minimal attention, letting the rest of them make the decisions and earn the extra tips that came along with a solo performance. However, when his gaze had landed on his partner, he knew it called for drastic measures. The thought of one of the other guys touching her was enough to make his blood boil.

"She's mine," he stated firmly. The rest of them turned to look at him and he merely raised an eyebrow, daring any of them to challenge him.

"It's about time you decided to fly solo, Baker," one of the guys teased him.

His gaze had drifted back to Bones and he'd merely shrugged. "Just takes a special woman to inspire me."

"She is definitely a looker," one of them added. "So is her friend."

Booth had barely spared a glance in Angela's direction, his eyes were glued to Bones.

"Let's go, guys," their manager called out. "You're on in two minutes."

Booth allowed his gaze to trail down her body once more before he turned away and took his place with the other dancers. She looked thinner than usual, but she also looked better than he remembered. God, he missed her.

Their dance number had started as usual, and he knew that the lighting would keep his face in shadow which allowed him to watch Bones as she watched them perform. He felt her gaze on him almost immediately and as soon as he removed his shirt, he saw the flicker of recognition dawn on her face. One of the other dancers led her onto the stage then and he moved into position, straddling her lap, grinding against her, forcing his body to not react to her nearness. He had used the position to talk to her, but he had to keep up pretenses so he had stripped off his pants and stood in front of her wearing nothing but a thong. He could feel her pulse racing under his hands as he stood in front of her, guiding her hands down his body. He felt her sharp intake of breath when he slid her small hands into the front of his thong and it had taken every ounce of willpower he possessed to not get aroused as he slowly guided her hands back up his chest.

When he had moved behind her and pressed his hips into her, he knew he was in trouble. She was so soft and warm against him, her silky hair tickling his chest where it rested, her heartbeat matching his at the intensity of the moment. Unable to resist, he'd trailed his hands up her sides, caressing the sides of her breasts, feeling her reaction in the shift of her hips that brought them even closer. As much as he wanted to slide his hands over to cup her soft mounds, to feel her nipples harden under his hands, he forced his hands back down her arms. Instead, he'd lowered his mouth to her neck, his lips gliding along the smooth skin until he finally reached her lips. It had nearly been his undoing.

With strength he hadn't known he'd possessed, he'd managed to step away from her. Another dancer had led her back to her seat, but her eyes had remained glued to his. Even when Angela wrapped an arm around her shoulder and whispered something in her ear, Bones had held his gaze. As their number came to a close, he saw a smile playing on her lips and he knew that he had to end this case...and soon.

He lifted his head from the wall and reached for the shampoo. Eleven weeks he had been on this case. Eleven weeks with no contact from anyone in his life other than his handler at the FBI. Eleven weeks of wondering what she was doing, if she missed him, if she still smelled as wonderful as he remembered. It was slowly driving him insane. He leaned his head under the spray to rinse the shampoo from his hair and once again allowed his thoughts to drift to Bones. He could still feel the heat from where her hands had been on his body. He could still hear her gasp of breath when he had dipped her hands under the waistband of his thong. It had felt so good to be pressed up against her ass, to feel her pressing back into him, to taste the flavor of her skin. Just thinking about it now was making him hard. He briefly considered taking care of the problem himself, but he didn't just want the physical release. He wanted the intimacy of being with her.

He reached for the bar of soap and made quick work of lathering himself up as he forced his mind away from thoughts of his partner naked underneath him, screaming out his name as he drove her over the edge. If he'd known that this case was going to last this long when he'd agreed to it, he would've made sure that things were more settled between them before he'd left. As it was, he was giving serious consideration to chucking all of the rules and seeing her again anyway. Heck, it wouldn't surprise him if she became a regular at their performances. He knew that if their positions were reversed, he would be.

An idea began to form in his mind and he quickly rinsed the soap from his body. There just might be a way to make contact with her that would keep his cover intact and nobody at the FBI would be the wiser. With lightness to his step that he hadn't felt in weeks, he stepped out of the shower and quickly dried off. He reached for an old pair of jeans and a plain, gray t-shirt and then pulled a Yankees baseball cap on his head, making sure to pull it far enough down to put his face in shadows.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

The ringing of her cell phone roused Brennan from a very erotic dream about her partner. She was somewhat disoriented as she sat up in bed in search of the offending item. Her laptop still sat open in the middle of her bed and her sheets were tangled about her legs, making moving somewhat difficult. Finally locating her phone behind her laptop, she snatched it up and checked the caller i.d. The number wasn't familiar and she considered ignoring it when she noticed that it wasn't yet five a.m., but the hope that it might be news about her partner had her pressing the answer button and lifting the phone to her ear.

"Brennan."

"Meet me in one hour at Rock Creek Park," Booth stated firmly. "Where we picnicked with Parker. Bring a jacket and leave your phone in your car."

"I'll be there."

As quickly as it had started, the call was finished and Brennan sat there numbly for a full thirty seconds while she processed what had just happened. Booth had called her. After eleven weeks, he had finally made contact with her. Not only that, but he wanted to meet with her.

A smile spread across her face and she sat her phone aside as she reached for her laptop. After making sure that she had saved her work before dozing off, she turned the computer off and moved it to her bedside table. Once that was finished, she hurried to her closet to grab some clothes before heading to the shower.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Brennan stood just off the trail near one of the picnic areas in Rock Creek Park. She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt and had a light jacket draped over her arm. It wasn't yet six a.m. but the air was already fairly warm for mid-summer. She leaned against a tree, keeping her eyes opened for any sign of Booth. As she waited for him to make his appearance, she allowed her mind to drift back to the last time they had been to the park together. It was a couple of weeks before his undercover assignment had started and he and Parker had invited her to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon with them. Unable to resist either one of the Booth men, she had agreed and they had finally decided on a picnic in the park. It had been a beautiful spring day and she had enjoyed spending time with both of them, especially hearing their laughter as Booth had pushed Parker on the swing.

The sound of an engine brought her from her musings and she looked down the trail to see a motorcycle approaching her position. She tensed for a moment before she recognized her partner's familiar build and as he drew closer, she could see his easy grin under the helmet he had on his head. She slid her jacket on and zipped it up and by the time he reached her side, she was ready to climb on behind him.

As soon as she had donned the helmet he gave her, he turned the bike around and headed back down the trail and she wrapped her arms around his waist. As he maneuvered them through the quiet streets of the city, she turned her head slightly and rested her head between his shoulder blades. It felt so good to hold him like that, to feel his hard body against hers, that she couldn't help but squeeze her arms around him in a brief hug. He responded by reaching up to squeeze her hands where they rested against his stomach before returning his attention to the road.

As they left D.C. and headed south, she realized that she honestly didn't care where they were going. She was content just to be with him. Surprised by the revelation, she didn't even notice that her hands were tracing idle patterns on his stomach until he once again reached up and covered her hands with one of his. He risked a quick glance over his shoulder and smiled at her and she couldn't help but return it. She was mildly embarrassed at the fact she had been absent-mindedly caressing her partner's stomach, but even more so that she hadn't noticed the twitch in his muscles as her hands had moved over him.

As their speed slowly decreased, she noticed that they were moving from the main roads onto smaller, country roads and she got the distinct impression that they were nearing their destination. After a few more minutes, Booth turned the motorcycle onto a well-worn path and easily maneuvered them deeper into the densely wooded area. When they came to a clearing, he brought the bike to a stop and turned off the ignition.

She dismounted the bike and removed her helmet while he engaged the kickstand. He pulled off his own helmet and secured them both to the bike before he climbed off of it. As soon as he was clear of the bike, she found herself wrapped in his embrace, his arms pulling her body tight against his as he buried his head in her shoulder.

"I've missed you," he whispered as his hands trailed up and down her back.

"I've missed you, too," she admitted as she breathed in his scent.

They stood like that for several long minutes before Booth finally leaned back to look at her. "Should I apologize for last night?"

"Only if you have no intentions of following up on it," she replied as she met his gaze.

He smiled then and slowly leaned down to brush his lips against hers. He intended for it to be a soft kiss, but she had other ideas. As soon as his lips touched hers, her hands were on the back of his head, pulling him closer, opening her lips to him to deepen the kiss. It felt like a match to dry tinder and before either one of them realized what was happening, their jackets had been haphazardly discarded on the ground and their hands had found their way under t-shirts, coming in contact with smooth skin.

"You feel so good, Booth," she whispered as she trailed kisses down his jaw to his neck.

The sound of his name on her lips brought him crashing back to reality and he slowly smoothed his hands down her back, letting his lips find hers once again and gently easing back the intensity of their kisses. He brought his hands up to cup her face as he kissed her one last time before gently easing out of her embrace. "We have to talk, Bones."

"I know," she agreed as she reached up to cover his hands where they rested against her face. "It just feels so good to touch you."

"I know what you mean," he agreed as he trailed a finger across her face. "I thought I might be hallucinating last night when I first saw you."

She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the sensation of his caress on her heated skin. The passion was there, just below the surface. It would be so easy to just give in to it. Instead, she took a deep breath and stepped away from him. She couldn't think clearly when he was touching her.

"What can you tell me?" she asked.

"Perhaps I should introduce myself," he offered as he led her to a downed tree and motioned for her to sit down. "My name is Steven Baker. I'm one of the newest dancers at the 'Garden of Eden' nightclub."

"I already knew that part," she replied with a sexy smile. "I checked you out last night before I left. What I don't know is why you're undercover as a male stripper and how much longer I have to wait to get you back as my partner."

"This assignment was only supposed to last for a month," he told her as he sat down next to her. "There is a rather large male prostitution and drug ring being run out of the club. At least, that's the information we've gotten. So far, I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary. My handler seems to think that the last agent they had undercover got made and so things have quieted down while the dust settles."

"What do you think?" she asked.

"I think I'm tired of horny women stuffing money down my g-string while they try to cop a feel," he replied with a snort.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before she replied. "If memory serves me correctly, you were the one who initiated the copping a feel last night."

His eyes shot up to hers and he could see the glimmer of amusement in her blue depths. "That was different."

"How so?"

He started to say something, then stopped and averted his eyes from hers. She reached out a hand and cupped his chin, gently guiding his face back to hers. "How so?" she repeated.

"Because I wanted you to touch me," he admitted. "I didn't care if the whole damn world was watching. I wanted to feel your hands on my body. And I needed to touch you, to feel your pulse racing beneath your skin. I needed to feel alive again."

She smiled at his admission and then leaned forward and brushed her lips against his briefly. When they pulled apart, she told him of her plan in the early hours of the morning. "Once I left the club last night, I thought about going back and offering to buy the place."

His jaw dropped at that. "Are you serious?"

"I debated the pros and cons of it for over thirty minutes," she assured him. "Unfortunately, the only pros that I actually came up with were getting you away from this assignment and back where you belong. Heck, I even gave serious consideration to Angela's idea of asking the manager if I could buy your time for a private show."

When he just stared at her, she shrugged her shoulders and added, "You're not the only one who felt more alive in those five minutes last night than they have in the last eleven weeks."

He rewarded her confession with another kiss, his lips lingering on hers as his tongue darted out to tease hers. He was smiling when they finally pulled apart. "So other than buying the nightclub and forcing my assignment to an end, do you have any other brilliant ideas?"

"I was hoping you did," she replied. "After all, you're the one who called me. Remember?"

He nodded as he got to his feet and walked over to the motorcycle. He opened one of bags on the side and pulled out two cell phones before walking back to sit beside her. "I want you to take this phone with you."

"I already have a cell phone," she said as she took the phone from him.

"I know. But I bought these early this morning for the express purpose of being able to stay in contact with you. They're disposable phones, no contracts, no names, practically untraceable. And I paid cash for them, so we should be okay to call each other on them. The FBI is keeping pretty close tabs on me while I'm undercover, and I'm not supposed to have any contact with people I know to keep the risk of my cover being blown to a minimum. It wouldn't surprise me if they were keeping tabs on you, too. I borrowed the bike from one of the other dancers because they've got a homing device on my car."

"That's why you told me to leave my phone in my car this morning? The GPS signal?"

He nodded as he looked at her. "I know I'm breaking all the rules here, but I just couldn't stay away any longer. Especially after last night. God, Bones, you have no idea how hard it was to walk away from you last night."

"Actually, I think I do," she replied. "Angela had to practically drag me out of the club to get me to leave."

"You shouldn't come back," he said. "If there is something going on, it could be dangerous for you to be there."

"I think you're more concerned that I might hurt one of your women when they try to cop a feel," she teased.

"I don't have 'women', Bones. I have a 'woman.' Singular. As in only one." At her surprised look, he quickly added, "At least, I hope I do."

"You do," she assured him. "We just need to figure out how to catch a break so we can get back to our lives."

He glanced down at the time on the cell phone and gave a frustrated sigh. "We should head back. I've got another show tonight and should probably get some sleep beforehand."

She reached for his hand and laced their fingers together before resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Booth. I know you took a big risk to see me today."

He brushed a kiss against her hair and then rested his cheek atop her head. "It was bigger risk for me to stay away."

"I'll help you however I can. You know that."

"I know. I already feel better for just having talked to you."

They sat there in silence for several minutes before Booth finally stood up, pulling her to her feet beside him. "I don't know when I'll be able to see you again."

"At least I know where you are now," she offered. "And I know you're okay."

His eyes traveled the length of her body as his hands settled on her waist. When his eyes met hers, he shook his head. "You haven't been taking care of yourself."

She started to deny it, but at the tenderness in his gaze, she shrugged. "I've been moping."

"Stop doing that," he told her. "Take care of yourself and quit spending all of your time at work. Go out with Angela and spend your weekends enjoying the outdoors. Go watch one of Parker's games for me and tell him that I'm proud of him and I can't wait to see him again."

She blinked back sudden tears as she reached for him, pulling him into a hug. "I miss you, Booth."

"I know, Bones. I know."

He held her tightly against him for a long minute before tilting her face up to his for another kiss. He trailed his lips along her cheeks, tasting the salt of her tears before dipping back to her lips. He sucked her lower lip into his mouth, his tongue trailing along it, memorizing the feel of her in his arms and the taste of her lips against his. They were both breathless when they finally broke apart and he led her silently back to the motorcycle for their trip back.

She spent the ride home trailing her hands along his stomach and sides, learning the feel of his muscles beneath his shirt, feeling his heartbeat strong beneath her cheek where it rested on his back. When they reached the trail where they'd met earlier that day, he brought the motorcycle to a stop. She slowly dismounted from behind him and started to walk away from him. His hand on her arm stopped her and she turned to face him. He gave a gentle tug and she went willingly into his arms for another hard kiss that was over way too soon for her liking. She had barely regained her balance when she watched him ride away from her.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to turn around and walk back to her car. They would find a way to break this case open. She was sure of it. They had to.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

_Now if you would be so kind as to drop me a note and let me know what you think, I would appreciate it. And I was serious about leaving Goldpiece a thank-you note. :-)_


	2. Chapter 2

_A huge thank you to everyone for your kind words. They are much appreciated. Please see the disclaimer and notes in chapter one._

_Now on to the story..._

* * *

Brennan made her way to Angela's office with a determined stride. It had been two weeks since her rendezvous with Booth, and though they had talked several times since then, it was driving her crazy to stay away from him. Since he had given her specific instructions to go out with Angela and stop spending all of her time at work, she had decided it was time for another girl's night out.

"Ang, do you have a minute?" she asked as she stepped into her friend's office.

Angela set aside the sketch she was working on and turned her attention to Brennan. "Sure, sweetie. What's on your mind?"

Brennan took a deep breath and made her request quickly before she could lose her nerve. "I want us to go back tonight."

"You lasted longer than I thought you would," Angela replied with a small smile. "But I thought you said he told you that you shouldn't come back."

"When have I ever done anything he's told me to?" Brennan replied with a shrug. "Please, Angela."

"What's your plan?" Angela asked as she got up to close the door to her office so they wouldn't be overheard. Brennan had confided in her about meeting with Booth, but other than the two of them, nobody else in the lab knew his whereabouts and they were going to make sure it stayed that way.

"I don't have one yet," Brennan admitted. "I was hoping you'd help with that part."

Angela pondered it for a long moment before she finally broke out into a wide smile. "I've got an idea."

"Tell me."

"Booth isn't going to like it," Angela warned.

"Just tell me already."

"What if we go back tonight and make some noise?" Angela suggested.

"I doubt we could make enough noise to be heard over the music and crowd," Brennan replied.

"Not that kind of noise, sweetie," Angela said. "The 'money talks' kind of noise."

"I don't know what that means."

"It means that you're a well-known public figure," Angela replied. "Your books have been on the bestseller list for three straight years now, and your name is widely recognized by the general public."

"So you're suggesting that we go in there and let them know I'm somewhat of a celebrity?" she asked.

"Exactly," Angela replied. "Big spender, good tipper, just you and your gal pal out looking for a good time."

"And then what?" Brennan asked.

"Then we play it by ear and see what happens," Angela offered. "I'd be willing to bet that the manager of the club will want to personally meet you and make sure you're taken care of while at his establishment. Maybe we drop a hint that we're interested in a little one-on-one time with a couple of his dancers and see what happens."

"Booth will definitely not like that," Brennan agreed. "It doesn't fall into the staying out of sight category."

"Maybe it will be a bust," Angela said. "Maybe there really isn't anything shady going on there."

"Booth's gut tells him otherwise," Brennan replied. "And I've learned to trust his gut."

"So maybe we can trigger a break for him. The worst that's going to happen is that you're going to be out a few hundred dollars."

"And Booth is going to be really pissed off at me," Brennan added.

"But it'll be worth it to see him dancing around in that thong again, won't it?" Angela teased.

Brennan felt the heat creep into her face. She hadn't told Angela everything about her meeting with Booth. In fact, she'd left out most of the interesting parts. All she'd told Angela was the little tidbit of information he'd given her about his assignment. She hadn't even mentioned the cell phones or any of the phone conversations they'd had since then. It was bad enough when her friend teased her about the little performance that he'd done at the club, there was no way she could survive the all out interrogation she knew would be forthcoming if Angela had any idea about the kisses they'd shared the next day. Not to mention the phone calls that had led her to more than one cold shower over the last two weeks.

"Maybe they'll drag you up on stage tonight," she said.

"If only I could be so lucky to have Special Agent Hottie grinding up against me," Angela said wistfully as she fanned herself.

Brennan merely shook her head as she headed for the door. "I'll pick you up at seven."

"You're driving?" Angela asked.

"You did say we're going to make some noise, right?" Brennan asked. "Might as well take the sports car."

"I'll tell Jack not to wait up," Angela replied with a grin as she settled back at her desk and reached for her sketchpad.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Booth made his way from the dressing room to join the other dancers for their nightly show. Since Bones' unexpected appearance two weeks earlier, he'd made it a point to join them as they made their selection for the solo performance. In spite of telling her that it would be best for her to stay away, he had the feeling that she was going to ignore him on that point.

"Hey, Baker, check it out. Your hot woman is back for an encore."

Booth stepped closer to the front of the group, allowing the younger man, Travis, to point her out to him. "It looks like she's getting the VIP treatment tonight, Baker."

Booth swallowed back a groan as his eyes landed on his beautiful partner. She and Angela were indeed seated at the VIP table with waiters hovering nearby to fulfill their every whim. No doubt that someone, probably Angela, had informed them that they had a famous celebrity in their midst. So much for her staying away.

Turning back to the dancers, Booth cracked a smile. "I'd be willing to bet that none of you read much."

"Why do you say that?" Travis asked.

"If you did, you would've recognized the famous author when she walked in here the last time," he replied with a shrug.

"Author?" one of the other guys asked.

"Temperance Brennan," Scott, the dancer who had led her onto the stage the last time, supplied.

Booth nodded his head at him in acknowledgment. "Pretty damn hot, isn't she?"

"Her friend's not too bad either," Travis offered.

"It's my choice tonight," one of the other guys said. "I want the blonde on the left."

The rest of them agreed and Booth let out a sigh of relief as they stepped back to get into their starting positions. He didn't think he could've handled watching one of them put their hands on Bones. As it was, he wasn't sure how he was going to get through this night knowing she was there watching his every move.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"I told you this was a good idea," Angela whispered as she leaned closer to Brennan.

"I'm still undecided on that part," Brennan said as she took a look around her. Angela had been right about the fact that mentioning who she was had earned them special courtesies. The manager himself had seated them at a front row table that was separated from the rest of the crowd by a velvet rope. He had then introduced their waiters for the evening and told them that if they needed anything at all, to just let one of the waiters know. However, Booth had yet to make an appearance on stage, so she didn't know how he was going to react to her being there.

Angela motioned for one of the waiters and ordered a bottle of wine to be brought to their table. It materialized almost instantly and Brennan made sure to give the man a hefty tip after he had poured them both a glass. Angela lifted her glass for a toast, so Brennan joined her. "To scantily dressed, very hot men."

They clinked their glasses together and then Brennan mumbled under her breath, "To surviving this night after Booth realizes what we've done."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Booth made his way to his dressing area and quickly changed for the next number. She was going to be the death of him. He just knew it. He had no sooner stepped onto the stage and his eyes had found hers. The lights had made it nearly impossible for him to keep her in his sights, but he could feel her eyes on him, watching as he stripped off his shirt. He could imagine her eyes drinking in the sight of his naked chest and remembering how it had felt when her hands had been on it. When they had moved into position for the solo performance, the lights had shifted enough that he could once again lock gazes with her. The heat from that look was enough that he'd had to fight to keep his arousal in check.

"Five minutes, Baker," one of the guys called.

Booth sighed and ran a hand through his hair. How was he supposed to go out and dance for other women when the only one he wanted was sitting there watching?

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"I'm not sure this was such a good idea, Ang," Brennan said as the house lights came back on.

"Why not?" Angela replied as she leaned closer to be heard.

Because it's driving me crazy watching other women grope my partner. Brennan shook her head. She wasn't sure she was ready to open that can of worms just yet. "He didn't look too happy to see us."

Angela's jaw dropped at that. "Brennan, honey, I think you must've been looking at the wrong guy this time. Believe me, the look in his eyes when he saw you was anything but anger. Please, just relax and try to enjoy yourself. Maybe dig out some money and tuck it in the thong of the next lucky fellow who happens to get within reach."

Brennan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Yeah, just relax. Tuck some bills.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

She had tucked a twenty into his g-string. Booth squeezed his eyes tightly shut as he sat in the chair at his dressing area. He had danced over to where her and Angela had been sitting and she had looked at him with a smoldering glance and then reached up and tucked a twenty dollar bill into his g-string. He had turned slightly towards Angela then, who had also reached up and tucked a twenty, but it was the feel of Brennan's hand moving along his ass that had nearly brought him to his knees. He'd moved away quickly, but not before she'd managed to get a pinch in. He could still feel the slight tingle where her fingers had rested on his bare ass. She was going to be the death of him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Brennan motioned for their waiter and ordered a club soda. Since she was driving, she was limiting herself to one glass of wine. Besides that, she needed something to cool herself down after Booth's last dance. Angela had told her to relax and tuck some bills in the next dancer's thong. Brennan had thought it a good idea until she looked up to find her very sexy, practically naked partner dancing in front of her. The thought of pulling him down onto her table and having her way with him ran through her mind as she glanced up and met his eyes. Angela had nudged her then, reminding her that she was supposed to be playing a part as well, so she had reached up and grazed her fingers along his hip, quickly sliding the money under the strap of his thong. His eyes had darkened at the simple contact, but he'd quickly turned towards Angela, his hips continuing to move in time with the music.

The movement had given her a perfect shot of his ass and she'd been unable to stop herself from sliding her fingers along the velvety skin and giving it a quick pinch. She'd heard his quick gasp of breath before he'd moved quickly away from them. Angela had looked over at her then and laughed, obviously finding the situation amusing. "He's pretty hot, Bren."

The waiter returned with her drink, stepping between her and Angela to sit it on the table. "Is there anything else you would like?" he asked them.

"We'll take a couple of them on a platter," Angela replied with a nod in the direction of the stage.

Brennan merely shook her head and handed the man a tip. "Thank you."

After he had stepped away from them, Brennan reached over and nudged Angela in the shoulder. "What was that about?"

"What?" Angela replied. "It never hurts to ask, does it?"

"They're not pieces of meat to be bought and sold, Angela," she stated.

Angela turned to look at her then and grinned. "Sweetie, it's just an expression. It's all part of the fantasy. It's why people go to strip clubs."

"It says something about our culture though, doesn't it?" Brennan replied. "We objectify human beings as though they are property. We parade them around, show them off, put them up for sale to the highest bidder..."

Angela held up a hand to silence her. "Save the lecture, Bren. We've got company."

Brennan looked over her shoulder to see the manager approaching their table. This could not be good.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Booth glanced from behind the stage and saw the club manager, Eddie, sitting at the table with Bones and Angela. Before he could even think to wonder what they were discussing, Scott materialized at his side and elbowed him in the ribs. "Do you think the hot author is interested in a private show, Baker?"

Booth raised an eyebrow and looked over at the other dancer. "I didn't know we did private shows here."

"We used to a while back. Then they just stopped for some reason. Eddie never said why." Scott looked back out at Bones and Angela with a sigh. "I wouldn't mind doing a private show for those two, though. I bet there's some serious money to made there."

"What did the private shows entail?" Booth asked as he also allowed his gaze to drift back to his partner.

"Whatever the customer wanted," Scott replied. "And was willing to pay for."

"Is that legal?" Booth whispered.

Scott chuckled and looked back at him. "Does it matter as long as nobody knows?"

Booth returned the chuckle and shrugged. "Good point."

"We'd better get ready," Scott said. "We're back out there again in a couple of minutes."

Booth nodded his agreement and turned away from the stage. He'd learned more in the last three minutes than he had in the last thirteen weeks. Could this finally be the break he needed to blow this case wide open? He sure hoped so. And he sure hoped that Bones knew what she was doing.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Brennan looked over at Angela with a raised eyebrow. "Did he really just offer us a private show with one of the dancers?"

"Yes, sweetie, he did."

"And when I told him that I wanted the one who had just been here at our table, did he really tell me that his schedule was full tonight but if I came back for tomorrow's show, he could arrange it?"

"Yes, sweetie, he did."

Brennan shook her head and sighed. "I don't believe it."

"I told you that money talks," Angela said as she picked up her glass of wine and drained it.

Brennan reached for the bottle and filled her friend's glass again. "What do you suppose happens if Booth tells him that he's not interested in doing a private show?"

Angela lifted her glass and took another big drink. "I don't know. But isn't this the break he's been waiting for? Why would he say he wasn't interested?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

_Okay, your turn. You know what to do. Drop me a line and let me know your thoughts. And don't worry, I should have the next chapter up sometime tomorrow afternoon._


	3. Chapter 3

_You know the drill by now, right? They don't belong to me because if they did, the show would have to move to a different timeslot and a cable channel._

_Thanks for all of the reviews, they have made me smile._

* * *

Brennan was awakened by the ringing of her cell phone. She rolled over in bed and reached for it, hitting the talk button as she raised it to her ear. The ringing persisted though, causing her to look at the phone in her hand. Realizing that it was the other cell phone, the one Booth had given her, ringing, she quickly snatched it up and answered it.

"Brennan."

"Hey there sexy lady," came his deep voice across the line.

She smiled as she rolled to her back, dropping her other phone carelessly to the bed beside her. "Hey there yourself."

"Did I wake you?" he asked.

"Yeah, but it's okay. I was hoping you would call."

"You were, were you?" he teased. "Were you thinking some un-partner like thoughts about me and wanting to confess them to clear your conscience?"

She laughed softly at that, remembering the last confession she'd made to him. "I think it's your turn at confessional," she offered.

"Okay then," he said softly. "I have to confess that there was this woman who came into the club tonight who really got me turned on."

"Oh yeah?" she asked. "I thought you didn't let them affect you while you were working. I thought you said you blocked it all out and just did your job."

"I do usually," he replied. "But this was different. She was different."

"How so?" she asked as she shifted a pillow behind her head, already aroused from the sound of his voice.

"She was so incredibly sexy," he told her.

"I bet there are a lot of sexy women who come into your club," she teased him.

"Not like this one."

"So what made her so special?" she asked again. "Was she a good tipper? Did she grope you? What?"

He chuckled softly across the line. "Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes. She was a good tipper. Probably tucked a couple of hundred dollars tonight. And yes, she groped me, too. Trailed her sexy fingers down my hip to my ass and pinched me even."

"And you enjoyed that?"

"You have no idea."

"I heard you gasp," she confided.

"Did you now?"

"I did."

"Did you enjoy that?" he asked.

"Very much so," she admitted.

"How much?" he asked.

"Enough that you would've been able to tell," she teased him. Hearing his groan on the other end of the line made her smile. "What else made her special?"

There was a long pause before he answered her. "Sorry, I was appreciating that visual image before moving on. The best part about her was that she quite possibly managed to blow the lid off this thing."

Brennan sat straight up in her bed at that. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. Eddie approached me and one of the other dancers after the show tonight and asked us if we were interested in doing private shows for some of the VIP customers. I asked him what it entailed and he gave me a rundown of what was expected and for what price. Then he told us how much extra we could expect to earn if we were interested."

"Did you tell him you were?"

"Of course, I did."

"So you're not mad at me for showing up tonight, even when you told me to stay away?" she asked tentatively.

"I'm not mad," he agreed. "I just want you to make sure that you're very careful tomorrow. Don't do anything that might make Eddie suspect you're anything except what he thinks you are."

"And during our private show?" she asked.

"From what I've been able to learn from the other dancer, the rooms are wired for sound," he told her. "No cameras that he knows of, but that doesn't mean they aren't there."

"So we keep our mouths shut and enjoy the show?" she asked.

"If you don't want to do this, you don't have to show up tomorrow night," he told her, sensing her discomfort.

She laughed as she leaned back against her pillows. "I was actually just thinking that Angela is going to have a field day with this."

"I'm already dreading having to look her in the eye again after this case is closed," he confided.

"And what about me?" she asked.

"I can't wait to look you in the eye again," he replied. "Preferably with nothing between us except air, and maybe not even that."

"I love it when you talk dirty like that."

"It seems only fair after the way you were lusting after me at the club tonight."

"Hey, I was spreading the wealth around," she said. "And I thought I did a good job of controlling myself when that blonde ran her hands all the way up your legs and tried to get inside your g-string."

"You know you're the only one I want inside my g-string."

She smiled at that and let out a soft sigh. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too."

She glanced over at her clock and realized that it was nearly three a.m. "I should go. I've got to go into the lab for a few hours this morning."

"Okay. I'll see you later tonight."

She disconnected the call and placed both of the phones back on her bedside table. She hoped this was truly the break they needed. She wanted her partner back.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Brennan was up on the platform in the Jeffersonian, bent over the skeletal remains of a three hundred-year-old warrior, when one of the guards called out to get her attention. "Dr. Brennan?"

She straightened up to see the guard standing there beside an older gentleman who was dressed in a suit and wearing a scowl. "What is it, Gary?" she asked.

"This gentleman is from the FBI and would like to have a word with you," the guard replied.

Brennan nodded in acknowledgement as she pulled off her gloves and made her way down from the platform. As she approached the agent, he held out his badge. "Dr. Brennan, I'm Special Agent Jason Jones."

Brennan read his credentials and then offered her hand with a tentative smile. "How can I help you, Agent Jones?"

He shook her hand and then looked around the lab carefully before he replied, "Is there someplace we could talk, Dr. Brennan?"

"My office," she replied before she turned and led him in that direction.

Once they had reached her office and she had closed the door behind them, he turned to face her. "Dr. Brennan, I'm here on official FBI business. It is my responsibility to inform you that your presence at the Garden of Eden club is jeopardizing an undercover operation and is no longer welcome."

She stared at him for a long minute before she replied. "Excuse me, Agent Jones, but I'm not sure that you have all the facts."

"I beg to differ, Dr. Brennan, but as Agent Booth's handler on this case, I am very much aware of the situation. I know that you stumbled upon his location two weeks ago when you and your friend, Ms. Montenegro visited the bar. I also know that you made a return visit last night where you were given VIP treatment and made quite a play for Agent Booth."

"I did not make a play for Agent Booth," she retaliated. "And if you had all of the facts, you would know that the club manager offered to arrange a private show for Angela and me for the right price. When I agreed to his terms and he asked me which dancers we would be interested in, we made sure to request Agent Booth along with one of the other men."

At the man's suddenly flustered gaze, Brennan continued, "I'm sure that if you had actually spoken to Agent Booth before you came and tracked me down, he would have informed you that the situation had changed and that there was a good possibility my presence at the club had given him the opening he needed to break this case wide open."

"I tried to reach Agent Booth before I left to see you this morning and he was unavailable," the man offered in defense of his actions.

"Did you even consider that he might be sleeping since he was working until nearly two a.m. last night?" she spat at him. When he merely shook his head in response, Brennan turned back to the office door and opened it. "Agent Jones, I appreciate that you took the time to stop in this morning and update me on Agent Booth's welfare. Now, unless you plan to arrest me, I can assure you that I will be returning to the club tonight."

Realizing that she was offering him the chance to save face in the way she worded his dismissal, the Agent nodded and headed for the door. "My apologies, Dr. Brennan."

Brennan closed the door behind him and let out a frustrated sigh as she leaned against it. This was exactly why Booth was the liaison between the FBI and the Jeffersonian. He was a good people person. She was not. And apparently neither was Agent Jones.

She shook her head in an effort to clear it and headed back out to the platform. She had told Cam she would try to finish identifying this set of remains before the weekend was over and she needed to get back to it because she was not planning on working tomorrow after her evening tonight.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Brennan and Angela were once again seated at the VIP table with waiters at their beck and call and a bottle of wine opened on their table. There was a much larger crowd for the Saturday show then there had been for the two Friday night performances they had previously attended. Brennan glanced nervously over at Angela as she lifted her glass of wine to her lips. "Are we ready for this?"

Angela smiled and lifted her own glass of wine. "Bring on the hot men!"

Brennan laughed at her enthusiasm and then leaned closer so they wouldn't be overheard. "What exactly did you tell Jack?"

Angela gave her a conspiratorial wink and replied, "I told him that you had found yourself a nice piece of eye candy and that I was going along as your wingman."

"And he went for that?"

"It's the truth, isn't it?"

"In a manner of speaking, I suppose it is," Brennan agreed.

"Relax, Bren," Angela told her. "This is Booth, remember? He's not going to let anything happen."

"I just wish I'd had the chance to talk to him today," Brennan admitted.

"And I wish you'd told me two weeks ago that you were in contact with him on a daily basis," Angela replied. "Then I wouldn't have been so worried about you the whole time."

Brennan had no response for that. When she'd told Angela earlier that afternoon about the visit from Agent Jones, she'd finally come clean about being in touch with Booth since their first night at the club. Instead of being upset with her for withholding information, Angela had seem relieved. Before she could launch into questions that Brennan wasn't ready to answer, she'd also told her about the private rooms being wired for sound and told her that whatever happened tonight, they had to keep Booth's cover intact. Angela had agreed, but had gone on to tease her about keeping that in mind when her partner was grinding up against her best friend and her best friend wasn't even pretending not to enjoy it.

Brennan filled both of their wineglasses again as the lights lowered and the music began to thump. They joined the rest of the crowd, rising to their feet and clapping in time to the beat as the stage lights came on and the dancers took their places.

Brennan felt her stomach flip as her gaze traveled over each of the dancers and then she turned to meet Angela's gaze. Booth wasn't on stage.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

_Wait!! Don't throw things at me. I didn't see that coming either. I started writing this part with every intention of getting them to the private show and when I got to this part, this is what happened. Blame my muse, he's a bit evil sometimes._


	4. Chapter 4

_I'm sorry that I left you guys hanging on the last part. My muse assures me that we will make it up to you by the end of the story though. _

_Again, a huge thank you for all of the reviews. I try to send individual replies to all of you, but if I miss you, please don't think it's because I don't appreciate it._

* * *

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Angela said as she stepped closer to Brennan to be heard over the crowd, both of them keeping up pretenses by continuing to clap and move in time with the music.

"No chance they just changed the order for the night?" Brennan replied.

"Not likely," Angela replied. "Is today the first time you've been unable to contact him?"

Brennan shook her head. "No, but he's always returned my call within an hour."

"What's your gut telling you?" Angela asked.

"I don't believe in gut feelings," Brennan replied. After a brief pause, she added, "But mine is telling me that something very wrong is going on here."

"What do you want to do?" Angela asked as she watched the blonde haired dancer she'd admired that first night lead a woman onto the stage for the solo performance.

Brennan gave it some thought while they cheered along with the rest of the crowd before she finally made her decision. "Let's wait it out for now. If Booth doesn't make an appearance in the next few minutes, we'll talk to Eddie and see why he's backed out on our agreement."

"Sounds like a plan," Angela agreed.

Brennan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This was not how things were supposed to happen tonight. _Where are you, Booth?_

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Where in the hell is Baker?" Eddie yelled as he walked through the dressing area backstage.

"We had lunch together at the bakery down the street around one this afternoon," Scott replied. "He told me that he was going to pick up a few groceries before heading back to his place and nobody has seen him since."

"Did somebody check his apartment?" Eddie asked.

"I did," George, one of the security guards replied. "His car was in the lot, but he wasn't there."

"Are you sure he wasn't just passed out and ignoring your knock?" Eddie questioned.

"Positive, boss. I went in and had a look around to be sure."

"This cannot be happening. Not tonight," Eddie replied. He paced back and forth for a full minute before he yelled again. "George, Scott, get over here." The two were quick to comply, not having seen their boss quite this worked up in a long time. "Did he say what grocery?"

"No," Scott replied. "But when we left the bakery, he headed north, so I assume he was heading to the market around the corner."

"George, I want you to go back to his apartment, see if he's there or if it looks like he's been back. If not, head to the market and see if anyone remembers seeing him there this afternoon. Start with the female employees, they're more likely to remember his face."

"I'm on my way, boss."

"What do you want me to do?" Scott asked.

"Give the performance of your life," Eddie replied. "I do not want to lose those two out there."

Scott smiled at that. "You got it."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"I get the distinct impression that we're being played to," Brennan said as the dancers left the stage for a brief intermission.

"I'm getting that same impression," Angela agreed. "And I don't think it has anything to do with the amount of money we're tucking for these guys."

"Perhaps it's time to have a little chat with Eddie?" Brennan posed.

"I think you might be right."

Brennan turned and called for one of their waiters. "Would you please tell the manager that I'd like to see him?"

"Yes, ma'am."

As if expecting the summons, the manager appeared at their table almost instantly. "Good evening, Dr. Brennan," he said as he reached for her hand. "I trust that you and your friend are enjoying yourselves."

Brennan glanced over at Angela quickly and then back to the manager. "My friend and I were just wondering what happened to the other dancer that was here last night. We were under the impression that we had an agreement for a private show with him tonight."

"Not to worry, Dr. Brennan," Eddie replied. "I just decided to give Steve the night off from the regular show so he would be fully rested for your private show."

Brennan and Angela both smiled at his response. "Very well then," Brennan replied. "We'll just enjoy the rest of the show."

"You do that," he told them as he turned to walk away.

They waited until they were alone again before they looked at each other. "He's lying," they said in unison.

"Something is definitely wrong here," Brennan said.

"What do you want to do?" Angela asked.

"We'll wait it out till the end of the show," she replied. "If Booth hasn't made an appearance by then, we'll call off the deal and contact Agent Jones."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Booth glared at the man standing in front of him even as he struggled against the ropes that bound his arms and legs to the chair he was seated in. "You will never get away with this, Jones."

"Shut up!"

In spite of the situation, Booth smirked at the man. "You haven't even thought this through, have you? You've kidnapped me and tied me to this chair, but you have no idea what you're going to do next, do you?"

"I said shut up!" he replied as his fist came down across Booth's jaw.

Booth cringed at the pain that shot through his head, but he refused to back down. "What do you hope to gain, Jones?"

"Just shut up, Booth," he replied. "I need to think."

"Who are you working for?" Booth continued.

Instead of answering him, Agent Jones turned and walked out of the room, leaving Booth alone for the first time since he'd regained consciousness. Booth took the opportunity to pull against the ropes that secured him. There was a little play in them, but not enough that escaping was going to be easy. He continued to struggle against them though as his eyes darted around the room, taking in his surroundings.

The room he was in was approximately twelve feet by twelve feet with a small window on the wall behind him and a door directly in front of him. There was light coming in from the window, but it appeared to be from a streetlight so he assumed it was still night. Other than the chair he was sitting in, there was no other furniture in the room.

Booth sighed as he dropped his head to his chest and rested for a moment. He'd had lunch with Scott at the bakery down the street from the club that afternoon and then had left to meet up with Agent Jones to inform him of the possible break in the case. They met behind the market, both of them staying in the shadows to avoid being seen. Booth had told him all that had transpired and asked how he wanted to handle this new angle since he was the lead agent on the case. He wasn't quite sure what happened next, only that Jones had stepped out of the shadows towards him and then he'd felt a sharp pain to the side of his head. When he'd regained consciousness, he'd found himself tied to a chair with a splitting headache and his handler for the FBI standing over him ranting about stupid hot shots and their partners ruining everything.

Booth felt something tickle his ankle and he jumped slightly in the chair. He glanced down and realized that the cell phone he'd bought to keep in contact with Bones was vibrating. He had taken to keeping it tucked inside his sock to keep anyone from noticing he was carrying two cell phones. The fact that it was going off now meant that Bones was obviously aware he was missing and was trying to track him down. If only he could figure out a way to answer it.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Still no answer?" Angela asked as they reached Brennan's apartment.

"None," she replied.

"What do we do now?" Angela asked.

Brennan didn't even hesitate. "You should go home, Ang."

"What?" came her incredulous response. "No way am I leaving you alone until we know that Booth is okay."

Brennan started to argue, but realized that she didn't really want to be alone. "Okay, then come inside. I've got Deputy Director Cullen's number inside. I'm going to call him."

"What about Agent Jones?" Angela asked as they made their way into the apartment building.

"I don't know," Brennan replied. "The number I got from the FBI dispatcher was disconnected."

"That can't be good," Angela stated.

They stopped at the door to Brennan's apartment while she unlocked it. Once they were inside, Brennan turned to look at her. "Something just doesn't feel right about this, Angela."

In spite of the circumstances, Angela couldn't help but smile. Booth would love hearing her say that something didn't feel right. "I see Booth's gut is finally starting to wear off on you."

Brennan shook her head as she flipped through her address book for Cullen's number. It was one a.m. and she was getting ready to call her partner's boss and tell him there was a strong possibility that at least one, if not two, of his agents was missing and her best friend was standing there waxing poetic about her partner's gut instinct. There was something slightly unsettling about that. She was afraid to analyze it though, for fear that what she would find was confirmation that she'd finally admitted to herself how much Booth meant to her only to have him snatched away.

She dialed the director's home number and waited for three rings for him to answer. "Cullen."

"Sir, this is Dr. Brennan. I'm sorry to disturb you so late, but there's a situation."

He listened while she told him everything she knew about Booth's assignment and her involvement in it. She made sure to include all of the details, from the phone calls, to the visit from Agent Jones, to the club manager's repeated apologies at being unable to produce the dancer they'd requested for their private show to the disconnected number for Agent Jones and Booth's secondary phone not being answered. She hoped she wasn't scuttling Booth's career by telling his boss that he'd broken rules to keep in touch with her, but at this point, she was more concerned about his life.

"I'll need the number to that cell phone," Cullen informed her.

She quickly rattled it off for him before taking a deep breath. "What now, sir?"

"I need to make a couple of phone calls," he told her. "Why don't you meet me at the Hoover building in twenty minutes."

"We're on our way," she told him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Booth stopped struggling against the ropes when he heard the door being unlocked. He'd started to make progress and he sure didn't want to give Jones any reason to check his bindings.

"How long are you going to keep me tied up here?" Booth asked as soon as the other man stepped into the room.

"As long as it takes," he replied.

"As long as what takes?"

"As long as it takes for me to get everything settled."

"You don't really think you're going to get away with this, do you?" Booth asked him.

"Shut up, Booth," he replied. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"So tell me," Booth taunted him. "Surely you don't expect me to believe that you're the mastermind behind this whole operation."

"You don't think I'm smart enough to do it?" he asked as he stepped closer to him.

"I don't think you're dumb enough to set up an undercover operation on your own organization," Booth replied. "I do think you're in over your head though, Jason. Not sure what to do now or where to go?"

"I know exactly what to do next," Jones replied as he glared at Booth. "You should've followed orders, Booth. You should've kept her as far away from here as possible."

Booth's stomach lurched at that. "Keep her out of this, Jones."

"I'm not the one who brought her into it," he replied. "But I am the one who's going to take care of her."

"Over my dead body," Booth ground out between clenched teeth.

Jones pulled his gun and looked at him. "That can be arranged, Booth. But for now, you're more valuable to me alive than dead."

"I swear if you so much as lay a finger on her, I will hunt you down and rip your heart out with my bare hands," Booth said as their gazes locked.

"There's nothing you can do to stop me," Jones replied before turning and walking out the door.

Booth screamed in frustration as the door slammed shut. He had to get out of there. He had to get to Bones.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Agent Jones made his way through the crowded bar to the backstage area. He saw Eddie walking back towards the bar and turned to follow him. "How are our VIP's this evening?"

Eddie pulled up short at the sound of his voice and turned to face him. "Good evening, Mr. Jones. I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight."

"You didn't think I was going to miss out on meeting with our first new client in months, did you?"

"No, Sir," Eddie replied nervously.

"So where is she?" Jones asked as he looked around the crowded bar.

Eddie motioned for him to follow him to his office, dreading that he had to tell him their client had left when her requested dancer had failed to show up. Mr. Jones was not a pleasant man to deal with on most days and he was even worse when he was angry. Baker would be lucky to ever get another job dancing in this city once he was through with him.

Eddie closed the door behind them, drowning out the noise from the club. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jones. Dr. Brennan and her guest left about an hour ago. They were very upset when Baker failed to make an appearance on stage for any of the show. I tried to assure them that he would still be available for their private show later tonight, but they weren't buying it." He saw the color brighten the other man's face and he knew he was in trouble, so he hurried with his explanation. "I sent George out to try to find him, but he's not at his apartment and nobody in the neighborhood has seen him."

Jones swallowed hard and stepped into Eddie's personal space. "I give you one simple assignment, Eddie. One simple, little job and you manage to completely screw it up."

"It's that idiot, Baker," Eddie complained.

Jones took a deep breath and stepped back. He should've realized that Brennan would bolt as soon as Booth failed to show up. A stupid miscalculation on his part. It didn't matter though. He would merely eliminate her after taking care of Booth.

He glared at Eddie. "I'll deal with you later," he growled and then stormed out of the room.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Brennan and Angela were sitting in one of the conference rooms waiting for Cullen to return. He had several agents working the case now and there was nothing they could do except wait.

"I hate this," Brennan said. "Booth is in trouble and I'm sitting here on my hands doing nothing."

"You're doing exactly what he would want you to do," Angela assured her. "You've told Cullen everything you know about the situation and you're staying put and out of danger."

"He's not telling us everything," Brennan said.

"I've picked up on that myself," Angela agreed. "But if we're going to help Booth, we're going to have to trust him."

The conference room door opened and Cullen stepped back in the room. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting," he told them. "I needed to check on a couple of things."

"What aren't you telling us?" Brennan asked as she stood up.

"You know as much about what's going on as we do," he assured her.

"You're lying," Brennan replied. She started to say something else, but the ringing of her cell phone stopped her. She reached for her purse and pulled it out, only to realize that it was the other phone ringing. "Booth!"

She quickly pressed the button and lifted the phone to her ear. "Booth?"

"Bones, are you okay?" he asked.

"Where are you?" she replied.

"I don't know," he admitted. "It's Jones."

"Jones?" Brennan replied as she looked up at Cullen. She saw the confirmation on his face and wanted to strangle him. She might have if not for the sound of her partner's voice on the phone. "He's coming for you, Bones."

"I'm safe," she assured him. "I'm with Cullen at the FBI."

"Tell him to keep the line open," Cullen told her as he made a phone call to one of his other agents. "We can trace his signal as long as he keeps talking."

Brennan relayed the information to him even as she continued to glare at Cullen. "Are you okay?" she asked Booth.

"Nothing that a few aspirin won't fix," he assured her. "Is Angela with you?"

"Yeah, she's right here," she replied.

"Good," Booth said. "Make sure she stays with you until this is over."

"I will."

The conference room door opened again and one of the agents stuck his head in. "We've got his signal, Sir. Teams are converging on his position now."

Brennan started to relay the information to Booth, but he silenced her quickly. "He's back, Bones."

"He's there now," Brennan hissed to Cullen.

He joined her and Angela at the table as Brennan switched the phone to speaker so they could all listen in.

"What did you do to her?" Booth asked.

"Nothing that you need to worry yourself about," Agent Jones replied.

There was silence followed by a rustling sound and then a loud "No!" rang out followed by a gunshot and then silence.

Brennan snatched the phone back to her ear. "Booth?"

"What happened?" Angela asked.

"I need to get over there," Cullen said. "You two wait here."

"Like hell we will," Angela replied. "We're going with you."

"We have no idea what's going on there," he argued.

"This is my partner we're talking about," Brennan replied, joining the conversation even as she futilely tried to regain the connection with Booth. "We're going with you."

He conceded with a nod. "Come on then."

"And on the way, you can explain the rest of what's going on to us," Brennan informed him.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

_Thoughts? Comments? Still wanting to throw things at me for screwing up the private show?_


	5. Chapter 5

_I had planned to post this last night, but some nasty storms blowing through the area knocked out my internet connection. I'm also blaming the storms for not being able to reply to any of the reviews you guys have been so kind to send. I do appreciate them._

_On to the story…_

* * *

Cullen disconnected his phone and dropped it in the console beside him. "The units on scene have the building surrounded and are working their way inside. They have confirmed a single shot being fired, but that's all we know at the moment."

Brennan glanced over the seat at Angela who gave her a reassuring smile. "Let's go with no news is good news for now, Sweetie."

Brennan nodded her agreement and then turned her attention back to Cullen. "You were going to explain what's going on to us."

Cullen took a deep breath and then began. "About six months ago, we got a tip that there were a lot of drugs running through the Garden of Eden nightclub. It was also suggested that the private shows being offered were dipping well into the category of prostitution. So we sent an agent in to gather intel. He was undercover for about two months before we pulled him out."

"Why did you pull him out?" Angela asked.

"Because the trail suddenly went cold," Cullen replied. "And because it was starting to look like Agent Jones was in this up to his neck."

"If things went cold, why did you send Booth back in?" Brennan asked.

"I needed to see if Jones was dirty," Cullen replied. "So I put him in charge of the operation and sent Agent Booth undercover."

"Without telling him of your suspicions?" Brennan asked.

"I needed Agent Booth to trust Jones. If it was going to work, Jones had to have no idea that he was being investigated. I wasn't sure how well Booth would be able to pull that off if I told him what I suspected."

"So why Booth?" Angela asked.

"He's one of my best agents," Cullen replied.

"We know that," Brennan replied. "But this isn't exactly his usual case."

"No, it isn't," Cullen agreed. "But I knew that Booth would have no trouble fitting in as a male dancer, and I trust him completely. I knew that if it was Jones, there was no chance he could sway Booth to his side."

"So why keep him undercover so long?" Brennan asked.

"Honestly, I was about to pull the plug when you and Ms. Montenegro stumbled upon the club."

"What stopped you?" Angela asked.

"Knowing that Dr. Brennan wouldn't stay away," Cullen admitted. "I figured she would find a way to get in contact with Booth and I wanted to see if her presence on the scene shook things up. I wasn't expecting you two to go in there throwing money around like you did, but it did work to our advantage. When the club manager approached you about the private show, it confirmed that Jones wasn't running things by himself. If he was, he would've never let things get to that point with you. Not knowing about your partnership with Agent Booth."

"So why take Booth?" Brennan asked.

"We'll have to ask Jones that one," Cullen told them as they turned a corner and he slowed the car to a stop. "My guess is that he was trying to tie up loose ends and get out of town before the whole thing crashed in on top of him."

The three of them exited the car and Brennan and Angela hung back a bit while Cullen got an update from one of the agents on the scene. After a moment, he turned back and motioned for them to join him. "The building is secure."

"Booth?" Brennan asked.

"Asking for you," Cullen replied.

Brennan reached for Angela's hand and gave it a tight squeeze. If he was asking for her, he had to be okay. Right?

The trio made their way through the crowd of agents outside the building and passed even more as they worked their way inside. As they turned a corner into a long hallway, Brennan could hear Booth's agitated voice. "Will you please get out of my way?"

She glanced over at Cullen who gave her a nod of permission. At that, she hurried her pace, easily finding her way to the room Booth was in by following the sound of his voice. She stopped in the doorway, surprised to see three agents standing in front of him blocking his path. "Should I call for more backup?" she asked lightly.

His gaze lifted to hers. "Bones."

The agents moved then, allowing him to pass and he wasted no time in crossing the room and pulling her into his arms. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Booth," she replied as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Are you?"

"I'm fine," he said as he pulled back to look at her, his hands trailing down to grab hold of hers. "The idiot shot my phone."

She drank in the sight of him, noticing the bruise forming on the side of his face and the burn marks on his wrists from the rope. "What happened?"

"He ties crappy knots," Booth replied as Cullen and Angela reached the doorway.

Keeping one of Brennan's hands securely in his, he reached his other towards Angela and pulled her into a hug. "I'm glad you're okay," she whispered into his shirt.

"I'm glad you two are," he replied, his eyes meeting Brennan's over Angela's head.

"Do you want to fill me in now or down at headquarters?" Cullen asked.

Angela pulled away from Booth and moved to stand on the other side of Brennan as Booth quickly explained how he'd managed to get himself free from the ropes holding him to the chair. "After I called Bones, he came back into the room. When he realized I had gotten loose, he pulled his gun on me. I held up the phone so he would know that I'd already called for backup and the idiot chose to shoot it out of my hand. Probably not the best option for a shot, but I'm not complaining. After that, we wrestled for a couple of minutes until I was able to get the gun away from him. Then it was just a matter of waiting for the cavalry. I had no idea if anyone else was waiting outside to take me out, so I thought it best to sit tight till the good guys got here."

"Did he say anything?" Cullen asked.

"Not exactly," Booth replied. "I kind of returned the favor of his gun to the back of his head."

Cullen bit back a smile at that. "Do you need medical attention, Agent Booth?"

"No, Sir," Booth replied.

Cullen looked around the room and then motioned for the group to follow him back into the hallway. "Let's leave the forensics guys to do their thing."

The four of them exited the building in silence with Booth never relinquishing his hold on Brennan's hand. Once they reached the cool, night air, Booth spoke up. "You don't seem surprised by this turn of events, Sir."

"Are you?" Cullen asked.

Booth shook his head. "Not really. Something hasn't felt right from the beginning of this assignment. Although I didn't really get suspicious of Jones until Bones and Angela showed up in the club two weeks ago. After that, he got a little nervous."

"No idea who the other players are?" Cullen asked.

"None," Booth replied. After a brief pause, he added, "Should I head back to the club and see if I can do damage control?"

Cullen shook his head. "I think we've got enough on Jones that he'll realize it's in his best interest to start talking." With a pointed glance to Booth and Brennan's intertwined hands, he added, "Besides, I think it's about time you got back to your own life."

Booth let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Sir."

"I'll need you to come to headquarters long enough to give an official statement," Cullen told him. "After that, take some time to recover and get your schedule adjusted back to normal work hours. I'll want you in my office first thing a week from Monday."

"Yes, Sir."

Cullen stepped away to give instructions to several other agents and Booth pulled Brennan into another hug. "You should go home."

"Not without you," she replied as she buried her nose against his neck, inhaling the scent of him.

Booth glanced over at Angela and she just smiled at him. "Please, Booth. In case you've forgotten, I was at the club that first night. I don't think you two can get much hotter than that."

Booth dropped his gaze back to Brennan who was now looking up at him with a small smile on her lips. Without further thought, he slowly lowered his head until their lips were only a breath apart. He paused then, reveling in the feel of her breath brushing across his lips and her hands holding tightly to his waist. When he would have closed the distance between them, she beat him to it, leaning further into him until his lips were on hers.

His hand moved to the back of her head, tilting it slightly to allow him better access to her mouth. Her lips parted beneath his on a sigh and he slowly dipped his tongue into her mouth, searching for and finding her own. Their tongues slid across each other's in a silent duel until the sound of a loud cough penetrated the haze of desire that had settled around them.

As they slowly broke from the kiss, Angela couldn't help but tease them. "I think I might have been wrong," she said as she fanned herself with her hand. "You two together are just absolutely scorching."

Brennan ignored the comment, choosing instead to once again bury her face against Booth's shoulder. He wrapped her securely in his embrace and then looked over at Angela. "How did you guys get here?"

"We rode with Cullen," she replied.

Booth glanced around the scene and spotted his boss heading towards them. "He should be almost ready to leave."

At that, Brennan stepped out of his embrace, but Booth once again reached for her hand, not ready to lose contact with her yet.

"Are you ready to go?" Cullen asked as he approached them.

"Definitely," Angela replied.

"Ladies, would you like me to drop you at your homes on the way?" Cullen asked them.

"My car is at headquarters," Brennan replied. "But we should drop Angela off on the way. Jack is probably worried sick by now."

"I can have someone bring your car to your apartment, Dr. Brennan," Cullen offered as they reached his car.

Booth opened the back door for her and waited until she was in before climbing in beside her. Once Cullen and Angela were settled in the front seat, Brennan replied, "That's okay, Sir. I'll wait on Booth and give him a ride back to his place."

Cullen nodded his agreement, not missing the look that passed between the two partners in his rearview mirror. He had a feeling that their partnership was about to be redefined. He sure hoped Dr. Sweets was up to the challenges that could entail for him.

In the backseat, Brennan squeezed the hand that still held tightly to hers, lifting her other hand to trail carefully along the rope burns on his wrist. "Does it hurt?" she whispered.

"I've had worse," he assured her.

Her fingers continued to glide along his skin as she moved her head to rest against his shoulder. She let out a soft sigh as he rested his head against hers and finally allowed herself to relax. Her partner was back.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

By the time Booth had finished giving his statement and had been given permission to leave, the sun was starting to peek over the horizon. He'd been surprised to find Brennan sitting in the hallway waiting on him, figuring that she would have gone ahead and went home. She'd gotten to her feet as soon as he approached and wordlessly held out the keys to her car. He'd smiled at that and then taken her hand in his and led her out of the building. They'd barely made it out of the parking lot before her eyes were closed and her face relaxed in sleep.

He reached over and gently shook her awake when they pulled into her apartment complex. "We're here," he said softly.

She blinked several times before slowly lifting her head and glancing around. "My place?"

"There isn't any food or anything at mine," he replied with a shrug.

"You're coming up, right?" she asked, suddenly unsure of herself.

"Just try and get rid of me," he replied as he turned off the ignition and got out of the car.

They reached for each other's hands as they made their way into the building and Booth smiled when she leaned over and rested her head on their shoulder as they walked. "How are you not falling asleep while walking?" she asked him. "I'm exhausted and I'm not the one who was kidnapped and held at gunpoint."

"I think part of it has to do with the strange hours I've been keeping on this assignment," he admitted as they stepped into the elevator. "But I think most of it is just the relief of knowing that it's over and I can finally get back to my life."

"So no more Steve Baker, male stripper?" she teased as they reached her floor and made their way down the hallway.

"I am officially retiring my g-string," he stated.

"That's too bad," she said as she unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped inside.

"Why do you say that?" he asked. "I thought you'd be happy to get your partner back."

"I'm definitely happy to get my partner back," she assured him as she watched him lock the door behind them. "But I was kind of looking forward to my private show."

He turned and met her gaze, the teasing tone of her voice doing nothing to drown out the desire he could see in her eyes. He quickly closed the distance between them, reaching up to trace a finger down her cheek. "Maybe after we've both had some sleep, I'll let you try to talk me into it."

She turned her head to kiss his finger, gently trailing her tongue along the pad of it before sucking it into her mouth. When she released it, she smiled at him. "I can be very persuasive, Booth."

He brought his hands up to cup her face and slowly leaned down to press a soft kiss to her lips. "First, we sleep, Bones."

She shook her head and reached up to wrap her hands around his wrists, being careful to avoid the burn marks that still marred his skin. "First, we'll clean these up. Then we'll sleep." Feeling bold, she added, "Together. In my bed. I want to fall asleep in your arms."

"I like the sound of that," he agreed. He placed another gentle kiss to her lips before stepping away from her. "Lead on, Bones."

She led him to her bathroom where she cleaned and then applied antiseptic to the wounds on his wrist. After that, she checked the back of his head and then gently traced her fingers over the darkening bruise on his cheek. "We should put some ice on that."

"It'll keep," he assured her. "Come on, let's get some sleep."

He stepped out of the bathroom to allow her to change into her sleep shirt, and then quickly stripped down to his boxers. He was crawling into the bed when she stepped out of the bathroom and he couldn't help but take a moment to watch her. The shirt hung to mid thigh, leaving plenty of leg exposed for his perusal. His eyes drank in the sight of her, memorizing every inch of her.

She blushed under his scrutiny and he smiled when he noticed. "You're beautiful, Bones."

"Thank you," she replied softly.

He patted the bed beside him. "Come on."

She made her way across the room and settled into the bed facing him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer so she was resting her head on his chest. "Sweet dreams, Bones," he said as he brushed a kiss across the top of her head.

"Thanks, Booth," she replied. "But I don't need the dreams tonight, I've got the real thing."

He merely smiled and closed his eyes, knowing she was right because he felt the same way.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

_See, no damage done. I'm pretty good at putting my toys back the way I find them. And my muse says he has one more chapter for all you wonderful readers._


	6. Chapter 6

_I just wanted to say thanks once again to Goldpiece for allowing me to use her idea to write this story. Also, to everyone who took the time to submit a review, please know that I appreciate each and every one of them. This chapter is dedicated to all of you guys._

* * *

Booth put the finishing touches on the decorations in the study and then turned off the lights and closed the door. It had been two weeks since his undercover assignment had ended and he had invited Bones over to celebrate. He smiled as he made his way to the kitchen to check on dinner. The last two weeks with her had more than made up for the long separation during his assignment. After falling asleep with her in his arms that first night, he'd known that he would never again sleep as well without her. Apparently, she felt the same way, because other than the two nights last weekend when he'd had Parker at the house, they had spent every night together.

He stirred the sauce on the stove as his mind drifted back to that first morning of waking up in her bed. He'd been having the most erotic dream about making love to her when he'd finally reached full consciousness and realized that he wasn't dreaming. She'd smiled when he'd opened his eyes to find her lips trailing across his bare chest, her tongue darting out to taste him and her fingers pinching at his nipples. Before he'd been able to say a word, her lips had captured his in a scorching kiss. It had been the best wakeup call he'd ever gotten in his life and one he'd gladly repaid the next morning when she'd had to leave to go to work.

The doorbell rang, bringing his thoughts back to the present and the evening he had planned for them. He quickly turned off the stove and wiped his hands on a dishtowel before making his way to the door.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Brennan said as he opened the door.

"You're fine," he replied as he stepped back to allow her to enter. His eyes took in the loose sweater, form fitting jeans and sandals she wore and he added, "And you look gorgeous."

"Thank you," she replied as she turned back to face him, waiting until he closed the door before leaning in for a kiss.

He willingly obliged her, his hands moving to her waist to pull her close as his lips settled on hers for the briefest of moments. "I've wanted to do that all day," he told her as he reached a hand up to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.

"I know," she replied as her hands played with the short hairs on the back of his neck. "I could see it in your eyes while you thought I was looking at that skeleton on the examination table."

"I don't think you were looking at my eyes then, Bones."

She raised one eyebrow at that. "What do you think I was looking at then, Booth?"

He rocked his hips against her, letting her feel the length of him pressing firmly against her as he once again leaned down to capture her lips. She smiled against his lips, the simple action becoming her confession.

Booth kissed his way from her lips to her throat and then back to her ear. "Dinner first or your surprise first?"

"What's my surprise?" she whispered as he gently pulled her ear lobe between his teeth and nibbled on it.

"I can't tell you, Bones. That's why it's called a surprise."

He released the lobe from his teeth and trailed his tongue along the outer shell of her ear, enjoying the shiver that ran through her body at the contact. Her hands tightened at the back of his neck, holding his head in place, silently begging for more. He reversed his course then, trailing his tongue back to her lobe and sucking it into his mouth again for the briefest of nibbles before moving down to her neck. When he reached the spot where her shoulder and neck met, she sighed and dropped her head to the side. "If you keep that up, we're not going to have dinner or a surprise."

He chuckled against her skin and then lifted his head to look her in the eyes. "Your call, Bones. What's it going to be?"

She tilted her head to the side as she considered her options. "Surprise first, Booth. You know I hate waiting."

He winked as he released her from his embrace. "I know. That's why I made something that will be just as good warmed up."

"Then why even give me the choice?" she asked as she allowed him to lead her to the study.

"Because I wanted tonight to be all about you," he replied as they reached the closed door and he brought them to a halt. "If you were absolutely set on having dinner first, we would've had dinner first."

She started to say something else, but he placed a finger on her lips to silence her. "I need you to close your eyes and promise not to peek until I tell you it's okay."

"Is that really necessary?" she asked as he lowered his finger.

"Absolutely," he replied. "Promise?"

She nodded in agreement and closed her eyes. "I promise."

He took a deep breath and then opened the door to the study., guiding her in by her elbow. When they reached the center of the room, he brought her to a stop. "There's a chair directly behind you, Bones. I want you to sit in it."

He took her by the hands and helped her as she lowered herself into the straight back chair he'd brought from his dining room. "Are you comfortable?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Good. Now don't move. Give me one minute and then I'll let you open your eyes."

Brennan sat in the chair quietly, listening to Booth move around the room. He had obviously moved the furniture in the room because the last time she'd been in his study, there had been a couch where she was currently sitting. His footsteps quieted and she heard a soft rustling, giving her the impression that he was changing his clothes. She was just about to ask what he was doing when she heard his deep voice from across the room. "Open your eyes, Bones."

She did as commanded and the first thing she noted was the strange lighting in the room. Instead of the bright overhead light that usually illuminated the room, there were several colored bulbs placed in floor lamps around the room, and the windows had been covered with dark blankets, eliminating any light that might come in from outside. As her eyes took in her surroundings, she noted that all of the furniture had been pushed to one side of the room except for the chair that she was sitting on, and it appeared to have been placed in the center of the room. As her eyes completed the circuit of the room, she finally spotted Booth standing in the far corner and her breath caught in her throat.

As soon as her eyes met his, Booth hit the play button on the remote control in his hand to bring the stereo to life and then dropped it to the ground. He stepped out of the shadows and heard her sharp intake of breath as realization of what he'd prepared for her set in.

She had teased him about being sorry she was going to miss out on her private show that first night, but she hadn't brought it up again. When he'd cleaned the few personal belongings he'd had with him out of the apartment he'd used while undercover, he'd found the black thong he'd worn the first night she'd been there and had been unable to part with it. He had intended to give it to her as a souvenir, but before he could follow through on it, the idea to give her that private show had taken root in his head. Before he'd even realized what he was doing, he had planned the entire evening in his head, which is how he found himself where he was now.

Brennan licked her lips as she watched Booth slowly approaching her, his entire body moving in time to the beat of the music. He was wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of black pants with silver snaps running down the legs, his jeans having obviously been discarded for the sake of this little show. She watched the play of muscle under his snug t-shirt as he moved, once again captivated by the gracefulness of his movements. When she lifted her eyes back to his face, he smiled at her and then moved his hands to the hem of his shirt and slowly lifted it over his head. He tossed the shirt carelessly behind him and she allowed her eyes to take in the sight of his magnificent chest as he continued his gyrations, each movement bringing him closer to her.

She swallowed hard when he moved to stand behind her, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Is this what you wanted, Bones? Did you want to see me like this? Just for you?"

His hands trailed down her shoulders to her hands and then back up again, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. She turned her head to look at him and found that his face was mere inches from hers. "I wasn't expecting for it to turn me on as much as it did that night," she told him. "I've always known you were sexy, but you've never used it so blatantly before."

He smiled at her admission and then stepped away from her, moving until he was once again facing her. He reached for the waistband of his pants and gave a hard tug, effectively opening all of the snaps so the pants fell away from his body. She felt the desire pool between her legs as he stood before her wearing only that black thong again. Being intimately aware of what he was hiding under the small scrap of material had her once again licking her lips.

He took a step closer to her, moving until his knees were bumping against hers with each movement. "It's just the two of us tonight, Bones."

She lifted her eyes to his, seeing her own desire reflected back at her. He reached for her hands and pulled her to her feet, his hands immediately going to her waist and holding her steady as he rocked his hips against hers. She lifted her hands to his shoulders, but he stepped away from her and took her hands in his again, holding them to her sides as he moved in once again, pressing his hips against hers. She couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips. Her entire body was tingling, anticipating his touch, craving the release she now knew he could bring her.

Hearing her soft moan, Booth moved to stand behind her. He wasn't sure how long he was going to be able to keep this up. He was already painfully aroused and hearing her quickened breathing and the soft sounds she was making was doing nothing for his resolve. He pressed his throbbing erection into the soft curves of her ass, his hands moving to her waist and then slowly trailing up her body. When he reached the curve of her breasts, he changed direction, moving his hands in to cup them, feeling the weight of them in his hands. "I wanted to touch you like this that first night," he admitted as his lips moved to her neck. "I wanted to feel your body react to my touch, to know that I could arouse you."

Brennan tilted her head to the side as his lips trailed over her neck. His palms were rubbing against her aching nipples, making them even harder with her desire for him. She reached behind her to cup his ass, but he stepped away from her again. When her hands once again fell to her sides, he returned to the position, his thumbs and forefingers working magic on her nipples. "Touching me is against the rules," he whispered.

"You let me touch you that night," she reminded him.

Before she could even draw another breath, he had moved until he was standing in front of her, his back pressed up against her chest. He took her hands in his and lifted them to his chest. "I believe it was something like this," he replied.

Brennan sighed and pressed her lips to his back as he slowly lowered her hands down his chest. When they reached the material of his thong and he didn't stop, she took advantage of the situation, shifting her hands in his enough that she could feel the length of him. She heard his sharp intake of breath followed by a slight groan before he reversed the direction of their hands and brought them back up his body. She trailed her tongue across the expanse of his back, stopping once to nip at the skin covering his shoulder blade. "I wanted to touch you like that then," she admitted.

He quickly moved again, once again stepping behind her, pressing their hips together, his hands on her waist guiding her as they moved to the music. After several moments, his hands moved from her waist, this time sliding under the shirt she was wearing to cup her breasts.

Brennan felt her arousal growing, her body begging for a more intimate touch. Knowing that trying to touch him would cause him to stop, she decided to try to move things along in a different way. She leaned into him, moving her head slightly to the side so he could see over her shoulder and then she lowered her hands to the button of her jeans. She made quick work of opening the button and zipper and then slowly pushed the material down her hips. She stopped when she felt his hands move to once again cup her breasts, lifting them lightly.

"What are you doing, Bones?" he whispered against her ear before sucking the lobe into his mouth.

"What I wanted you to do that night," she replied as she brought one hand back to the opening of her jeans and slid it inside. His hands went still at her breasts and she felt him shift against her ass as he glanced down her body, watching as her hand disappeared inside her panties.

"Tell me," he gasped.

"I'm so wet for you, Booth," she told him as she felt her arousal soaking her own fingers. "I want to feel you deep inside of me."

She felt his hands move to her jeans, pushing the material further down her body before one of his hands joined hers. He placed his hand over hers, guiding her movements as she trailed her fingers back and forth across her opening, barely grazing her clit before changing directions and dipping inside of her body. Her hips arched up instinctively, craving more of him.

"You are so damn sexy, Bones."

"Please, Booth," she pleaded.

He removed their hands and she groaned in frustration before she felt his hands pushing her jeans and panties completely off of her body. She kicked them and her sandals aside and then turned to face him. He moved his hands to her shirt and lifted it over her head, dropping it to the floor before making quick work of removing her bra as well.

He placed her hands on his hips, finally giving her permission to touch him. She immediately went to the waistband of the thong, pulling it out to lower it over his erection and down his body. He stepped out of the material as it pooled at his feet and then took her hands in his once again, lifting them to his shoulders as he took a step closer to her. He maneuvered them until they reached the chair and then he settled himself on it. Once he was seated, he reached for Brennan.

Brennan moved to straddle him, her feet finding purchase on the rungs of the chair before she slowly lowered herself onto him. They both groaned as he slid into her and then they found each other's lips, their mouths coming together greedily as they began to move against each other.

His hands moved to her waist, helping to lift her as she rose off of him before lifting his own hips to meet her on her downward stroke. Within minutes they were gasping for breath, their hips slamming into each other as their hands stroked over one another and their tongues dueled. Feeling his climax quickly approaching, Booth slid one hand between their bodies, easily finding her clit. He rubbed it hard, hearing her gasp in pleasure as she pulled her lips from his. "Yes, Booth. Right there."

He repeated the action, his lips moving to her neck and biting gently on the sensitive skin there. "Come for me, baby." That was all Brennan needed as she cried out in release, his name tumbling from her lips as she felt her entire body convulse in pleasure.

Booth rode the wave of her orgasm, feeling her body tighten around his before he gave in to his own body's demand for release. He thrust into her three more times and then he was exploding inside of her, her name falling from his lips in a mantra.

As their breathing slowly returned to normal, she lifted her head from his shoulder to look him in the eyes. "That was amazing, Booth."

He reached up and brushed her hair off of her face, leaning in for a gentle, yet passionate kiss. When they broke apart, he smiled at her. "I take it that your private show met your expectations, Dr. Brennan."

"Above and beyond," she agreed as she shifted in his lap, feeling him still intimately connected with her. "I might have to become a regular."

"I should tell you that I'm still planning on retiring my g-string," he informed her.

"I don't know, Booth," she teased him as she trailed her hands down his chest, feeling his muscles contract at the contact. "I think you could make quite a living doing this."

"Funny," he replied as his hands moved to her back, trailing over the smooth skin he found there. "I didn't get a single bill tucked tonight."

She laughed softly at that. "I was unprepared this time, G-String Man. I won't let it happen again."

"In that case, maybe I'll hang onto the thong," he replied. "Just in case."

"I like the sound of that," she agreed. She leaned in for a soft kiss and then pulled back slightly to meet his eyes. "Thank you for this, Booth."

He winked at her and replied, "You're welcome, Bones."

She leaned in for another kiss before moving off of him and reaching for his hand. "Come on, Booth. Let's see if dinner can live up to my surprise."

"Not a chance," he told her. "But we should probably eat anyway to keep up our strength for the next round."

She smiled and picked up his t-shirt, pulling it over her head as he picked up his jeans from the corner of the room and pulled them on. He reached for the remote control and turned off the stereo before they left the study hand-in-hand, both of them wondering how long it might've taken them to get to this point if not for that little black thong.

The End

_My muse hopes that this makes up for him stealing Booth away before they could get to this earlier in the story. _

_Thanks for sticking with me through this one. I hope you enjoyed it._


End file.
